Knicks do not have the cap room for two max contracts

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by alby

Lebron James being in his prime, can join any team in the NBA and that team would win a minimum of 50 games.

I guess I should explain "suck". They clearly wouldn't literally "suck". I mean Miami basically sucks but is still a playoff team right now.

I'm simply saying that Lebron, Wade and a poo-poo platter of ill fitting parts is in no way a contender.

[Hitman]

Alby- Bingo.

bob- True, BUT...You can say the same of LeBron AND Dwyane Wade. That team plus anything else Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni could find to put around them in MSG would be pretty f'ing good.

[alby]

a 50 win team in New York City IS like winning the championship.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by alby

a 50 win team in New York City IS like winning the championship.

Not to Lebron it's not.

[chumdawg]

Originally Posted by jthig32

I'm simply saying that Lebron, Wade and a poo-poo platter of ill fitting parts is in no way a contender.

I think you're wrong.

[bobatundi]

Originally Posted by jthig32

Not to Lebron it's not.

Bingo.

Yes, that team would be a perennial playoff team, but they would in no way be a legit championship contender. A vet-minimum frontcourt just isn't going to cut it.

[Hitman]

We are talking about LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

LeBron James AND Dwyane Wade.

And you, oh bobatundi, don't think the Knicks could put a contender around LeBron James AND Dwyane Wade?

I think you be wrong.

[alby]

A 50 win team in New York City is a contender in SterNBA

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by chumdawg

I think you're wrong.

What kind of players do you think they get to fill out their roster? And don't say quality players will be lining up to take the minimum to play with them, because that just doesn't happen.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by Hitman

We are talking about LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

LeBron James AND Dwyane Wade.

And you, oh bobatundi, don't think the Knicks could put a contender around LeBron James AND Dwyane Wade?

I think you be wrong.

With minimum salary guys and no draft picks?

C'mon.

[mary]

I guess I should explain "suck". They clearly wouldn't literally "suck". I mean Miami basically sucks but is still a playoff team right now.

Not to poke my nose in the discussion, but what did the Heat have in 2006?

(Old Shaq, Alonzo Mourning.....freaking Udonis Haslem...Bennett Salvatore)

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by mary

Not to poke my nose in the discussion, but what did the Heat have in 2006?

They had a still pretty good Shaq and they had quite a few role players that you're not getting for minimum contracts.

See that's the thing. If they already had some decent young players in place at different positions that could contribute, I would feel differently. But you're talking about starting a team with two mega stars, a homeless man's Dirk in Dano, some ill-fitting busts of young players, and players off the scrap heap.

You're not getting the Udonis Haslem they had for vet minimum. Or James Posey, or Antoine Walker for that matter.

[chumdawg]

Originally Posted by jthig32

What kind of players do you think they get to fill out their roster? And don't say quality players will be lining up to take the minimum to play with them, because that just doesn't happen.

D-Leaguers would be fine. Rookies. It doesn't matter. As long as the guy is good enough to play in the NBA, that's all.

Dirk and...oh, excuse me...Lebron and Wade would make the players around them look like quality NBA players, even if they were scrubs.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by chumdawg

D-Leaguers would be fine. Rookies. It doesn't matter. As long as the guy is good enough to play in the NBA, that's all.

Dirk and...oh, excuse me...Lebron and Wade would make the players around them look like quality NBA players, even if they were scrubs.

That's crazy.

[Lor20]

you need at least good rebounders and defenders. wade and james are fairly efficient scorers but they both dont rebound a ton or (regularly) protect the rim. the other team could score inside at will if there were just scrubs in the front court.

[dude1394]

Funny...a lark new thread, gets 55 posts. Hmm...maybe it should not have been embedded in a 1,331 post thread.

[Hitman]

Hey, at the very least it would be entertaining. LeBron and Wade on the Knicks and totally sucking.

That wouldn't happen though. If those two fell into place, everything else would as well.

[mary]

Maybe the Knicks could envoke the special "break the bank" provision of the CBA.

duh.

[Hitman]

Now the Knicks DO have enough room to sign two max guys.

This is going to be an interesting summer.

[spreedom]

Originally Posted by Hitman

Now the Knicks DO have enough room to sign two max guys.

This is going to be an interesting summer.

That would be if they renounce every single one of their free agents (including Lee) -- which I don't expect they'll do. I'm guessing Lee will get a deal in the nieghborhood of 5yrs/$55M or so, which would give them about $19M to fill out the rest of the roster before they use the MLE/LLE....

[chumdawg]

I don't think you get to use the MLE if you are under the cap.

[mavErika]

Originally Posted by jthig32

Of course there's a chance. They have as good a chance as anyone. I just don't think they have an advantage over other teams.

And are they really going to be willing to absolutely suck for at least one year? Because make no mistake, a team with Lebron, Wade, Gallinari, Chander, Douglas and minimum salary players will suck.

that's what I thought, there can't be possibly enough cap room to sign two max guys and a decent supporting cast. I don't get why they are considered favourites at signing top notch free agents so often, I don't see why LBJ or Wade would prefer such a chaotic situation(admittedly in a big market city, playing in the MSG) over a solid situation like in Cleveland, Chicago, L.A.C. or Dallas. And the praise, or at least understanding N.Y. earns for the Houston-deal baffles me even more.

[Hitman]

Originally Posted by spreedom

That would be if they renounce every single one of their free agents (including Lee) -- which I don't expect they'll do. I'm guessing Lee will get a deal in the nieghborhood of 5yrs/$55M or so, which would give them about $19M to fill out the rest of the roster before they use the MLE/LLE....

They are renouncing every free agent. Even Lee. They are not going to maintain his Bird rights, which doesn't mean that he won't resign there, but the Knicks will not have any homecourt cap advantages.

On July 1, they will be able to offer LeBron & Wade max contracts.

[Hitman]

Originally Posted by mavErika

I don't see why LBJ or Wade would prefer such a chaotic situation(admittedly in a big market city, playing in the MSG) over a solid situation like in Cleveland, Chicago, L.A.C. or Dallas. And the praise, or at least understanding N.Y. earns for the Houston-deal baffles me even more.

It is not about playing in a "big market." Dallas and Chicago and Boston are so called "big markets."

It is about playing in New York City.

In Madison Square Garden.

It is different.

[bobatundi]

Originally Posted by Hitman

It is not about playing in a "big market." Dallas and Chicago and Boston are so called "big markets."

It is about playing in New York City.

In Madison Square Garden.

It is different.

You hit the nail on the head. New York isn't just another "large market." It's more than twice the population of any other market in the country besides LA (and those two cities couldn't be much more different). More than that, it's such a media, financial & cultural hub...having lived and/or worked in five of the top 10 markets in the US, I can tell you, New York is just so much more.

[bobatundi]

Ok, so maybe I'm just bored, but I still think we need to somehow take advantage of the Knicks (I mean, Houston obviously did, getting their most recent #1 pick in Hill, their 2012 first-rounder, and the right to swap 2011 first-rounders).

If I'm Donnie, I pick up the phone as soon as trades are allowed again, and I offer Carroll, Stevenson, and a S&T vet minimum (Thomas?) for Eddy Curry and a pick or two (even second-rounders since that's about all they have). Why? The Knicks gain $2MM more in cap room, which might come in handy for them. The Mavs actually SAVE $4.5 million over the life of all the deals ($9MM if you include Luxury Tax), reduce longer-term (2011+) salary obligations, and gain a potentially valuable trade piece for next year's deadline in Curry's $11MM expiring contract.

[bobatundi]

More fun ideas involving looting the Knicks:

Would they be willing to give up some young talent to unload Curry's behemoth contract for next year? Here's a thought: Mavs send them Damp's instant expiring in exchange for Curry & Gallinari, and the Humphries Trade Exception for Rodriguez. Mavs get two young, talented players to build around going forward, at the price of paying Curry's bloated contract for one year (or, half a year, as he'll be an expiring and thus good trade deadline fodder). The Knicks then get so far under the cap, they can just about sign THREE max players (at a $53MM cap, minus cap holds, they'd have about $47MM to spend, say on LeBron, Wade, Boozer).

Would you?

[rabbitproof]

We could have a great time losing to the New York LeWade Boshes in the Finals every year.

[MavsX]

did anybody see that article on espn a few days ago about how if lebron, wade, and bosh all don't sign max deals. That they could all be on the knicks and win rings forever? It was a pretty interesting article.

[bobatundi]

Originally Posted by MavsX

did anybody see that article on espn a few days ago about how if lebron, wade, and bosh all don't sign max deals. That they could all be on the knicks and win rings forever? It was a pretty interesting article.

Yeah, I read that...but it'll never happen. Agents & the Players Union would flip.

[MavsX]

Originally Posted by bobatundi

Yeah, I read that...but it'll never happen. Agents & the Players Union would flip.

yeah really. i guess we will see......